The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1887-02-23
THE MYSTERIES OF noRMonIsM.

THE MYSTERIES OF noRMoNIsM.
The sights Seen by conrerted jewish
Rabbi-PInees OF worship.
A recent visitor of prominence to this
city. is Il. Wad-ei-Warc, a converted
Jewish rabbi from Palestine. HeI lser-
haps 50 years OF age and Is member Of
the tribe of Levi. He has more OF an
Arabic cast of features than of Hebrew,
has o swartlly complexion and piercing
black eyes, while his figure is slender and
why 8 ~.
ssSince my conversion to the Christian
faith. sixteen years ago, = said he In per-
feet English to reporter yesterday, II
haze travelled over nearly every portion
of the globe, preaching tie cause OF
and languages of all nations.S On my
way TO California I stopped ct Salt Lake
City. where 1 remained about Elk weeks
as the guest of some Mormon apostles
whom / had met In Jerusalcnl, my native
city. Twisted all of the important places
in Mor1nondom, stopped with the people
themselves. and learned all could ]
must say that 1 found many things which
were obnoxious to me; more especially
The latter-day revelations of Joseph Smith
concerning the descent of the first apos-
ties from Joseph. However, the people
certainly actedsin avery hospitable and
courteous manner toward me. When /
went there made up my mind to put
aside all prejudice, and not allow any,
thing had ever. heard against them to
interfere in amy way with my judgment
of their character and customs. re-
solved to see and decide for myself. On
two occasions met President Taylor and
John g. Cannon, who are still in hiding
from the minions of the law, as you
know. found them courteous and will
ing to give me all the information which
j desired.
Something about the templesa Oh,
yes, certainly. They are invariably built
facing east and west. In entering one of
them you come into corridor, or outer
chamber, where you are requested to re-
move your shoes. You are then led into
another chamber on the right. called the
men s department. Directly opposite is the
women's department Connected with
these rooms are small bathrooms, where
you are instructed to batlle yourself, for
you are not allowed 10 carry the dust and
dirt of the outer world into tho sacred pre-
cincts of the temple You are then taken
into the laver room, which is an oblong
square in shape. Here you zee huge
bronze font, Weighing nearly four tons
and measuring about fifteen feet long by
seven feet wide. 1t is supported on
twelve bronze oxen in life size, and alto
gether is magnificent work of art. In
this room you arc baptized, either for
yourself or for some dead relative or
friend. "A Mormon, you know. can he
baptized every day. if he likes, for tho
good of some dear one in the spirit
world. In the marriage scenes, however,
tho baptism is for the contracting parties
only. Adjoining the LAYER room is q second
bathroom of small proportions, wlerc the
amounting ceremony takes place. Your
clothing, of course. is removed. and.
commencing with the crown of yoIT
head. every part and member of Your
body is anointel with sacred oil. must
admit that this EwaS not after the usual
Hebrew manner, and was naturally very
distlsteful to me.
after the candidate has been anointetl
the endowment robes are put on him.
These consist of a combination suit of
undershirt and drawers, made in ono
piece, which are to be worn by the can
anu
taken off except to be replaced ininc-
diately by fresh suit of the s;.l:lc kind.
White caps are also furnished for the
NAL. candidates, which make t!r,lIl look
more like French pastry coos tfan any
thing else. In addition to these big
apron OF white linen. silk. or wooden ma
terial. with green Zig leaf IN front.
The women Wear the Same kind of robes,
with plain white ovcr,ircsses aud aprons
of smaller size. but of the same shape,
design and material as those worn by
the men. When tic candidates have
been completely costumed after the man
ner have described they arc led into
still another room, which is called para
disc. and 1 frankly confess that have
never been in any room or garden that
SO nearly resembIetl my ideas of n real
paradise as that one did. Magnificent
oil paintings of flowers, birds, trees, end
every form Of animal and vegetable life
were to be seen everywhere. They We're
works of art. too, that would not dis.Sracc
the walls OF any academy or salon. Here
the ceremony of the expulsion from tlac
Garden of Eden occurs, after which the
candidates are conducted to another
room called the world, which is also
handsomely decorated and furnished. 1
have not the time, and doubt if you
have the space, to give a full description
of all these ceremonies, which may bc
characterized rs very solemn ri;5inarolgs.
When all that have told you las been
gone through with the party begins to as
cend, and is taken to the room of the
dead. Il perfect gem of architecture, and
finer and more elaborate than any of the
chapels in the TasMahal or the Al1am-
bra. In this room occurs the ceremony
of the endowment for eternity, or for tho
dead. When this is over yea are led to
the last room; the holy of holies, where
You are given the grips and signs of the
Anronic and NIelchisedec priesthoo,ls.
This rite to me was most distasteful.-
San Francisco Chronicle.
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